Numbers-Chapter-18

-hebraicstudies.net-

Please do NOT visit this site on שַׁבָּת - Shabbat or on the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts!

Re Tanakh versions:

Throughout this site I may use any of the following three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions, However, the JPS-1917 is my preferred version!

Colour coded details of our beloved TaNaKh:

1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.

*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.

Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.

YYYYYYY

Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!

“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).

YYYYYYY

“Numbers Chapter 18”

With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Introduction:

Following the Korah rebellion, Numbers Chapter 18 establishes the vital roles and responsibilities of the Priests and Levites in maintaining the Tabernacle’s sanctity. The chapter outlines the specific tasks and sacred duties assigned to the Kohanim and Levites, setting clear boundaries to protect the community.

YYYYYYY

Let us read Numbers Chapter 18, verses 1 to 32: (JPS-1917 version of the Torah). Below this chapter you will find my commentary for this study.

1 “And יְהוָה - the LORD said unto Aaron: ‘Thou and thy sons and thy fathers’ house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2 And thy brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou near with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee, thou and thy sons with thee being before the tent of the testimony. 3 And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the Tent; only they shall not come nigh unto the holy furniture and unto the altar, that they die not, neither they, nor ye. 4 And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, whatsoever the service of the Tent may be; but a common man shall not draw nigh unto you. 5 And ye shall keep the charge of the holy things, and the charge of the altar, that there be wrath no more upon the children of Israel. 6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; for you they are given as a gift unto יְהוָה - the LORD, to do the service of the tent of meeting. 7 And thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priesthood in everything that pertaineth to the altar, and to that within the veil; and ye shall serve; I give you the priesthood as a service of gift; and the common man that draweth nigh shall be put to death’. 8 And יְהוָה - the LORD spoke unto Aaron: ‘And I, behold, I have given thee the charge of My heave-offerings; even of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel unto thee have I given them for a consecrated portion, and to thy sons, as a due for ever. 9 This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, even every meal-offering of theirs, and every sin-offering of theirs, and every guilt-offering of theirs, which they may render unto Me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. 10 In a most holy place shalt thou eat thereof; every male may eat thereof; it shall be holy unto thee. 11 And this is thine: the heave-offering of their gift, even all the wave-offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, as a due for ever; every one that is clean in thy house may eat thereof. 12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the corn, the first part of them which they give unto יְהוָה - the LORD, to thee have I given them. 13 The first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring unto יְהוָה - the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thy house may eat thereof. 14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine. 15 Every thing that openeth the womb, of all flesh which they offer unto יְהוָה - the LORD, both of man and beast, shall be thine; howbeit the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem. 16 And their redemption-money from a month old shalt thou redeem them shall be, according to thy valuation, five shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary the same is twenty gerahs. 17 But the firstling of an ox, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt dash their blood against the altar, and shalt make their fat smoke for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto יְהוָה - the LORD. 18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave-breast and as the right thigh, it shall be thine. 19 All the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto יְהוָה - the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, as a due for ever; it is an everlasting covenant of salt before יְהוָה - the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee’. 20 And יְהוָה - the LORD said unto Aaron: ‘Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any portion among them; I am thy portion and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. 21 And unto the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting. 22 And henceforth the children of Israel shall not come nigh the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die. 23 But the Levites alone shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the children of Israel, which they set apart as a gift unto יְהוָה - the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said unto them: Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance’. 25 And יְהוָה - the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 26 ‘Moreover thou shalt speak unto the Levites, and say unto them: When ye take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall set apart of it a gift for יְהוָה - the LORD, even a tithe of the tithe. 27 And the gift which ye set apart shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshing-floor, and as the fullness of the wine-press. 28 Thus ye also shall set apart a gift unto יְהוָה - the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and thereof ye shall give the gift which is set apart unto יְהוָה - the LORD to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all that is given you ye shall set apart all of that which is due unto יְהוָה - the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. 30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them: When ye set apart the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshing-floor, and as the increase of the wine-press. 31 And ye may eat it in every place, ye and your households; for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, seeing that ye have set apart from it the best thereof; and ye shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that ye die not’”.

YYYYYYY

Commentary on Numbers Chapter 18:

Verses 1-7: (The Responsibility of Safeguarding the Holy). The chapter opens with a solemn charge to Aaron, outlining his and his sons’ direct responsibility for the sanctity of the sanctuary and the priesthood. The Levites are designated as assistants, providing a protective buffer for the Tabernacle’s service, with the Kohanim handling the inner sanctum and the Levites overseeing the outer area, thus ensuring the safety of the community.

Verses 8-19: (The Covenant of Salt). Due to their exclusive dedication to sacred duties and lack of land ownership, the Kohanim are sustained through the “heave-offerings” or “Terumah”, including portions of ‘grain’, ‘oil’, ‘wine’, and ‘livestock’. This arrangement is described as a “covenant of salt”, emphasizing an enduring, eternal partnership between the Kohanim, the people, and the Divine.

Verses 20-24: (The Inheritance of the Levites). The Levites are similarly provided for, with their inheritance being אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God) Himself rather than land, and they are supported by a ten percent tithe, or Ma’aser, from the people’s produce. This system fosters a direct connection between the community’s agricultural life and the sanctuary’s spiritual work.

Verses 25-32: (The Tithe of the Tithe). The chapter concludes with a requirement for the Levites to give a “tithe of the tithe”, or Terumat Ma’aser, from what they receive, passing a portion to the Kohanim. This regulation ensures that everyone involved in the spiritual hierarchy contributes to the collective responsibility of the sanctuary’s upkeep.

YYYYYYY

My Closing Message:

Numbers 18 highlights that spiritual leadership carries great responsibility, balanced by the support provided by the community. It underscores the importance of maintaining boundaries and mutual obligations to foster a sacred environment where the Divine Presence can dwell.

YYYYYYY

Please Note: “hebraicstudies” links are located down the page!

This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!

Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following through a number of our prophets...

“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts” Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).

YYYYYYY

“Hebraic Studies” motto is as follows;

“The More Torah, the More Life”,

For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”

May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before food and drinks, etc!

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

Enter ...

http://www.hebraicstudies.net/Site-Index.htm

Enter ...

https://www.hebraicstudies.net

-hebraicstudies.net-

Email the Rabbi

RBA@hebraicstudies.net

If the email link does not open - You can also copy the link and use it.

Although the author does not believe in having to copyright “Hebraic Studies” commenced in the mid 1980’,

but there have been occasions where there parts of his studies have been taken and quoted out of context

under my name, and thus he has been misquoted by those who have their own reasons for doing so.

Thus, it is only for this reason these works are fully covered under strict ...